1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic card connector, and particularly relates to an electronic card connector for accommodating an electronic card, and a device which ejects the electronic card from the electronic card connector when the card is pushed.
2. Description of the Related
Small electronic cards with a large memory are nowadays regularly used with many kinds of portable electrical products, for example, cell phones, digital cameras and PDAs. The electrical product has a PCB and an electrical card connector fixed on the PCB for accommodating an electronic card and electrically connecting it to the conductive terminals of the electronic card. The electrical card connector further includes an ejector for ejecting the electronic card that is accommodated in the electrical card connector. Because the electronic card is frequently inserted and ejected from the electrical card connector, the electrical card connector must be durable enough to ensure the smooth insertion and ejection of the electronic card from the electrical card connector so no damage is caused, thus avoiding the situation where the electrical card connector fails to connect with the electronic card. Hence the conductive terminals of the electrical card connector and the electronic card are electrically connected to each other.
Referring to FIG. 1, the electrical card connector of the prior art is used to accommodate an electronic card (not shown), comprising an insulative housing 6, a conductive terminal 7, an ejector 8 and a shield casing 9. The insulative housing 6 has a base portion 60, a first arm 61 and a second arm 62. The first arm 61 and the second arm 62 are connected parallel to two sides of the base portion 60. The insulative housing 1 further includes an insertion space 63. The conductive terminal 7 is arranged on the base portion 60 of the isolative housing 6. The ejector 8 has a sliding element 80, an elastic element 81, a guiding element 82 and a track groove 83. The track groove 83 is formed on the first arm 61 and adjacent to the base portion 60. The sliding element 80 has a sliding portion 801 disposed slidably on the first arm 61 and a pushed arm 802 inserted into the insertion space 63. The elastic element 81 is installed between the first arm 61 and the sliding element 80. One side of the guiding element 82 is a pivot side 821 and the other side of the guiding element 82 is a guiding side 822. The pivot side 821 is connected pivotally to the sliding portion 801 of the sliding element 80, and the guiding side 822 is received movably in the track groove 83. The shield casing 9 covers the insulative housing 6 for clamping the sliding portion 801 between the first arm 61 and shield casing 9.
When the electronic card is inserted into the insertion space 63, one side of the electronic card pushes the pushed arm 802 of the sliding element 80 and the elastic element 81 extends to move the guiding side 822 of the guiding element 82. It is thereby positioned in the track groove 83 completing the inserting action. When the electronic card is pushed again, the guiding side 822 of the guiding element 82 is released from the track groove 83 and the elastic element 80 pulls the sliding element 80 back for the push arm 802 which ejects the electronic card from the electrical card connector to complete the ejecting action. Because the sliding portion 801 of the sliding element 80 is only clamped between the first arm 61 and the shield casing 9, the sliding element 80 is easily swung and rubbed. As such, the electronic card cannot be smoothly inserted into or ejected from the electrical card connector, causing damage to the electrical connection between the electronic card and the conductive terminal 7.
With the employment of unique considerations and application of theories, and based on several years experience in specialized production of all flexible assembly systems and mechanisms, the inventor has come up with an innovative electrical card connector.